


Zugzwang

by wolfie_winchester



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Episode Fix-it, F/M, Happy Ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-19
Updated: 2014-12-19
Packaged: 2018-03-02 04:27:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 634
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2799542
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wolfie_winchester/pseuds/wolfie_winchester
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tears of his own fall, his face hot and his vision blurred, but he’s not sad. No. He’s far from sad. In fact, in this moment now, Spencer Reid is the happiest man on Earth.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Zugzwang

**Author's Note:**

> A Fix-it fic for Zugzwang (probably one of many), because even though it was a while ago, we all know how it really should have ended.

Spencer Reid has never been more terrified in his life than this moment now. When Tobias Hankel had kidnapped and drugged him, or when he’d contracted that deadly strain of anthrax, or any of the numerous hostage situations he’s been in, he’d been scared. Of course he had. But never has he felt this overwhelming sense of fear. And it’s not his life that he fears for; that doesn’t matter as much as hers.

 

Maeve. Beautiful Maeve, who he’s dreamed about meeting in person ever since their first conversation. And now they’ve finally met, but this isn’t what he had in mind for a first date.

 

He watches, heart in his throat and hands in the air, as Diane rants about how Maeve never noticed her, never acknowledged her genius. He should want to help her, but he can’t bring himself to care. Not after everything she’s put Maeve through. All the phonecalls and the stalking and finally this.

 

He knows what Diane intends to do before she even raises the gun to her head, clutching Maeve close enough to her that he knows they’ll both die. He can’t stop her. He’s too slow - too slow and the air is rent by the sound of a gunshot. He shuts his eyes and doesn’t dare open them, because he knows what he’ll see and he can’t bear to look. He can’t see her lying lifeless on the floor with blood pooled in her hair.

 

“Spencer.”

 

A trick. It has to be. His mind playing a cruel joke on him and recalling one of the countless times she’s said his name. But then he hears his name again and, hoping beyond all hope, he opens his eyes. She smiles and it’s the most beautiful thing he’s ever seen.

 

There’s blood spatter on her clothes and her face, but she’s okay, if not a little shaken. She’s alive and that’s what matters. All his breath leaves him in a whoosh and the tension leaves his shoulders so quickly that they visibly slump in relief. He spares a second to see what happened to Diane. She’s lying on the floor, hand still clutching her gun, but the bullet hole in her forehead tells him all he needs to know. She’s gone and won’t be bothering them any longer.

 

He looks back to his girlfriend - and part of him thrills at the fact that he can call her that, even if it’s in his head - smiling and walking over to gather her in his arms. She clutches him hard and he squeezes her back just as tightly, unsure if he’ll be able to let go as he buries his face in her shoulder.

 

He’s shaking, although he’s not sure if it’s relief or the last remnants of fear leaving his body. She rubs his back and they sway together, finding comfort in the other’s embrace.

 

“I thought I lost you,” he finally chokes out.

 

“But you didn’t,” she tells him. “I’m still here and I’m okay.”

 

She pulls back just enough to look into his eyes. Her own shine with unspilled tears, but she smiles and his heart stutters in his chest.

 

“I love you, Spencer.”

 

The words are whispered quietly in the space between them. The rest of the world falls away and it’s just the two of them in their own private space. He returns her sentiment without hesitation, without pausing for one second to allow his brain to question if he means it or not because there’s not a doubt in his heart that he doesn’t.

 

“I love you too, Maeve.”

 

Tears of his own fall, his face hot and his vision blurred, but he’s not sad. No. He’s far from sad. In fact, in this moment now, Spencer Reid is the happiest man on Earth.


End file.
